Anime Boston, the largest anime convention in the Northeast, announced its final round of guests today. Directors Christopher Bevins and Zach Bolton, as well as voice actors Monica Rial, Rachel Robinson and Micah Solusod will be attending Anime Boston at the Hynes Convention Center, Boston, Mass. on May 24 through May 26, 2013.

Since 2001, Christopher Bevins has recorded, cast, directed, produced, acted in and/or adapted scripts for over 100 anime series, movies and specials. His voice directing credits include King of Thorn, Princess Jellyfish, .hack//Quantum, Heaven’s Lost Property, The Sacred Blacksmith, Samurai 7, Speed Grapher, Mongolian Chop Squad (with Taliesin Jaffe), Witchblade, El Cazador de la Bruja, Burst Angel, Shigurui: Death Frenzy, and Dragon Ball GT. He has had the good fortune to direct his own scripts several times, including the feature-length movie Case Closed: The Last Wizard of the Century and Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings. Chris’ recent and upcoming voice directing work includes of Shakugan no Shana Second, Last Exile – Fam, The Silver Wing, and Michiko & Hatchin.

Bevins is also an accomplished voice actor, with roles such as Japan in Hetalia, Mercutio in Romeo x Juliet, Apollo in Aquarion, Hugo Housman in The Sacred Blacksmith, Fastener in Panty & Stocking, Kenji in Initial D, Peter Stevens in King of Thorn, Nicholas Wayne in Baccano!, Shishi Wakamaru in Yu Yu Hakusho, Lafitte and Shu Shu in One Piece, Bee the Puppy in Dragon Ball Z, and Beck the Dog in BECK. He has also played various characters in critters in Dragon Ball, Sgt. Frog, Soul Eater, Shin chan, Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist (both series), Ouran High School Host Club, Desert Punk, Kodocha, School Rumble, Case Closed and many more. Chris has also worked on several video games, most notably as the English-language voice of Dhalsim in Street Fighter IV, Super Street Fighter IV and Street Fighter x Tekken.

Zach Bolton has been a voice director with FUNimation for eight years. Prior to voice directing he served as an ADR engineer for two years and has also done work as a voice actor, script writer, and producer. His directing credits include: Eureka 7: AO, Soul Eater, Shin chan, Darker Than Black, Trigun: Badlands Rumble, Desert Punk, Dragonball Z, Ga Rei Zero, A Certain Magical Index, A Certain Scientific Railgun, B Gata H Kei, Dragonaut, Strain, Rumbling Hearts, Peach Girl, and many more.

Micah Solusod is a professional voice actor and artist with FUNimation. Solusod made his debut in the world of anime as the timid Malek Werner in Blassreiter, and was cast as the cool Soul Evans in Soul Eater shortly after. Since then, he has had the honor voicing a number of characters in other FUNimation titles such as Toma Kamijo in A Certain Magical Index, Tsutomu Senkawa in Birdy the Mighty: Decode, Yukitaka Tsuitsui in Level E, Kazuki Makabe in Fafner: Heaven and Earth Movie, Kamui and Subaru in Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations, Liszt Kiriki in Okami-San and Her Seven Companions, and many others.

He can also be heard in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Darker Than Black II, Black Butler II, Deadman Wonderland, Shangri-La, Corpse Princess, Rideback, Sgt. Frog, Tales of Vesperia: The First Strike, Trigun: Badlands Rumble, Baka and Test, Shakugan no Shana, and Last Exile: Fam, the Silver Wing.

Solusod also works as a freelance artist. He is the lead illustrator for the group Painapple Teriyaki, and draws for the fantasy webcomic Ties That Bind.

Monica Rial has been working in the anime voice over industry for 14 years. According to Anime News Network, she is currently the most prolific anime voice actress in the USA. As an actress for ADV Films, Funimation Entertainment, and Sentai Filmworks she has lent her voice to over 275 anime including: Air (Misuzu), Baccano! (Chane), Black Butler (Mei Ren), Certain Magical Index (Index), E.F. a Tale of Memories (Chihiro), Excel Saga (Hyatt), Fairy Tail (Mirajane), Full Metal Panic! (Kyoko), Hetalia (Flying Mint Bunny/Belarus), High School of the Dead (Shizuka), Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (Treeya), Negima (Konoka/Kazumi/Satsuki), One Piece (Tashigi/Carue/Kuina), Ouran Host Club (Renge), Noir (Kirika), Panty and Stocking (Stocking), Princess Jellyfish (Mayaya), Sergeant Frog (Momoka), Shinchan (Ai), Tsubasa (Sakura), Witchblade (Maria) and many more.

She can be heard on the Cartoon Network in Deadman Wonderland (Shiro), Casshern Sins (Ringo), Soul Eater (Tsubaki) and FMA Brotherhood (May Chang). You can also catch her on Nicktoons and the CW as Bulma in Dragonball Z Kai. She has also appeared in several video games including Ms. ‘Splosion Man, Comic jumper and Borderlands 2.

Rachel Robinson’s voice spans the arenas of national commercials, animation, video games, narration and now, most recently, anime. She is likely best known for her indelible role as Oerba Yun Fang, of Final Fantasy XIII, reprising it in Final Fantasy XIII-2. She has recently voiced two diabolical and soulless villainesses: the tattooed, chainsmoking Nazi vampire Zorin Blitz in Hellsing Ultimate and Empress Megaria, Lord of the Darkness Realm, in Kaijudo: Rise of the Duel Masters.

She is proud to announce playing the lead role in the upcoming Q.U.B.E.: Director’s Cut, due out soon this year, and a major role in the upcoming DLC of Guild Wars 2. She has roles in many other games coming out this year, none of which she’s allowed to speak of.

About Anime Boston: With more than 22,000 attendees in 2012, Anime Boston is an annual three-day Japanese animation convention held in Boston, Mass. Anime Boston 2013 is scheduled for Friday, May 22 through Sunday, May 24 at the Hynes Convention Center and Sheraton Boston Hotel. More information about Anime Boston can be found at www.animeboston.com.

About New England Anime Society: The New England Anime Society was founded in 2001. Based in Massachusetts, The New England Anime Society, Inc. is an organization dedicated to furthering public education and understanding of the Japanese language and culture through visual and written media. More information about The New England Anime Society is available at www.neanime.org.

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SOUL EATER ENGLISH CAST TO APPEAR AT NY ANIME FESTIVAL

Supernatural Anime Series Receives English-Language Debut In NYC

Norwalk, CT, September 3, 2009: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced the main cast of FUNimation Entertainment’s upcoming supernatural anime series Soul Eater — Laura Bailey, Micah Solusod, Brittney Karbowski, Monica Rial, Todd Haberkorn, Jamie Marchi, and Cherami Leigh — will appear together for the first time at this September’s NYAF, and this cast appearance will serve as the pinnacle of a weekend of Soul Eater activities, including the English language premiere of the series. The cast along with Soul Eater Director Zach Bolton and Producer Masazumi Kato will join Yoshiyuki Tomino — the Director of Mobile Suit Gundam — and Yui Makino — the voice of Sakura in Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle — as guests at NYAF. Other than Soul Eater, NYAF premieres include Gurren Lagann: The Movie – Childhood’s End, Cencoroll, and 20th Century Boys.

Soul Eater

Soul Eater, based on a manga by Atsushi Ohkubo, follows Maka, Black Star, and Death The Kid, three students determined to turn their partners — living weapons — into powerful death scythes, weapons fit for Death himself. Charged with the task of collecting and devouring the tainted souls of ninety-nine humans and one witch, Maka and her fellow meisters strive to master their weapons as they face off against the bizarre and dangerous minions of the underworld. Laura Bailey stars as the voice of Maka, Micah Solusod portrays Soul, Brittney Karbowski plays Black Star, Monica Rial is Tsubaki, Todd Haberkorn voices Death The Kid, Jamie Marchi is Liz, and Cherami Leigh voices Patty.

Producer Masazumi Kato will be coming all the way from Japan, where he’s been in charge of the overall promotion for Soul Eater, including advertisements, publicity, and DVDs.

“We’re honored to partner with our friends at FUNimation to bring the main cast of Soul Eater to NYAF,” New York Anime Festival Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. “Soul Eater will be one of the biggest titles of 2010, and we’re excited to give it the launch it deserves in NYC!”

Be one of the first 200 fans to come by the FUNimation booth any day of the show to take home a free copy of the latest issue of Yen Press’s Yen Plus magazine. Yen Press is the US publisher of the Soul Eater manga, and Soul Eater is serialized each month inside Yen Plus.

Eric Maruscak is an artist who specializes in massive murals drawn in chalk. He’s appeared at New York Comic Con and other conventions around the country, and he’s at NYAF this year creating a giant illustration of Maka, Black Star, and Death The Kid. Check out Eric’s work throughout the show to see Soul Eater larger than life!

Friday, Saturday, and Sunday – All Day – Front of Exhibit Hall

Soul Eater Panel and Screening

Laura Bailey (Maka), Micah Solusod (Soul), Brittney Karbowski (Black Star), Monica Rial (Tsubaki), Todd Haberkorn (Death The Kid), Jamie Marchi (Liz), Cherami Leigh (Patty), and Director Zach Bolton along with Producer Masazumi Kato and representatives from both FUNimation and Yen Press present the first three episodes of FUNimation’s Soul Eater! Be one of the first fans to see what’ll be one of 2010’s biggest shows, and get the inside scoop about what’s ahead from the women and men at Soul Eater’s center!

Saturday – 1:00 to 3:00 PM – ANA Theater (1A08 )

Soul Eater Cosplay Meet Up

Come by chalk artist Eric Maruscak’s Soul Eater mural on Sunday at 1 PM for a Soul Eater group photo! FUNimation’s asking all Soul Eater cosplayers to show up to get their pictures taken with Eric’s completed work of art and the American cast of Soul Eater, and, then, stay tuned to funimation.com and newyorkanimefestival.com for the photo once the show’s over!

Sunday – 1:00 PM – Front of Exhibit Hall

For Soul Eater cast bios or to purchase NYAF tickets, please visit the show’s official site (www.nyanimefestival.com). For the latest announcements, please visit NYAF’s official blog (www.mediumatlarge.net) or follow NYAF on Twitter (www.twitter.com/NY_Anime_Fest). For more on Soul Eater, visit the show’s official site (www.funimation.com/souleater).

ABOUT FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT:

FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:

The New York Anime Festival takes place September 25-27, 2009 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival showcases the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival features exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explores the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life. Further information can be found at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS POP CULTURE GROUP:

The Pop Culture Group at Reed Exhibitions owns and operates the New York Comic Con (NYCC), the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), and the New York Anime Festival (NYAF). New York Comic Con was launched in 2006 and quickly became a dominant presence in the pop culture world of public events. In 2009, 452 companies exhibited at NYCC for a total of 84,000 square feet of paid exhibit space, and it has been ranked by Crain’s New York Business as the second-largest annual event in NYC. C2E2, which will debut April 16 – 18 at Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center, is modeled after NYCC and will provide fans the opportunity to meet and greet their favorite writers, creators, and artists, as well as to see, hear and learn about the latest and greatest in comics, graphic novels, anime, manga, video games, toys, movies, and television. The Pop Culture Group also operates the recently-launched UFC Fan Expo in partnership with the UFC – the world’s leading professional mixed martial arts organization – and it formed a strategic partnership with Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) in 2008 and will work closely with PAX on the launch of PAX East in Boston in 2010.